It seems like everything has been updated except the mini. I think we may see something new at WWDC. I was thinking that the mini is too close in price to the apple TV. Many people here have been talking for a long time about a larger machine that is somewhere between a mac pro and a mini.

What do you guys think?_________________Would you like to learn more about me?

I don't think Apple will drop the mini. Even though I want something between the mini and the Mac Pro I doubt Apple will make it either. If they did I would purchase it immediately. I'm still running a G4 mini and a Mac Pro is too large and too costly for my basic needs. The mini satisfies my need except in the storage space department.

Well, you're wrong from the get-go. The iMac hasn't been updated since last september either, and there's no way Apple's discontinuing that.

I should have been more clear. The mini hasn't been updated to a core 2 duo. It got a mild speed bump in September and now is the only machine that is 32 bit and not Core 2. Hopefully I am wrong and they will go straight to santa rosa and the better GPU in a few years after they add LED screens and santa rosa to everything else.

The mini has remained the same in form since January 2005. This is not much longer than the imac and the power mac has had the same form factor since July 2003. I was just thinking that apple likes to come out with new stuff and that if something was a redesigned the mini is the most likely candidate right now._________________Would you like to learn more about me?

i couldn't see this happening. the mini plays an important part in Apple's line up providing a cost effective solution for people wanting to switch to mac (and they don't have to purchase a new monitor)_________________"just smile and wave boys"- Penguins from Madagascar

The Mac mini is following the eMac's footsteps, not being updated with the other machines and will slowly get discontinued as time passes.

That wasn't the case with the eMac. It was updated along with other machines. If for anything else, it was discontinued because of the CRT monitor. I think the Mac mini and or other small form factor Macs are here to stay. It's clear to me that Apple is only set on offering small headless form factor computers (like the Mac mini and Cube) and all-in-on systems like the iMac for consumers. They are going to leave the cheap $400 oversized towers to HP and Dell. I would list the reasons why, but I'm running late for work.

I've been thinking about this for a while. I'll give you the greatest reason why Apple won't add a low cost upgradeable tower to the mix. Apple simply cannot afford to have a product like this in their line with a relatively small market share. They need to keep us coming back every 2-3 years for a new Mac to stay in the computer business. They don't want us upgrading the video card, having PCI expansion or multiple drive bays. That equals less sales and lengthens the buying cycle. Anyone agree with me on this?_________________1.25GHz Mac Mini / 1.8GHz iMac G5 / 2.0GHz C2D Mac mini (2009)
4GB iPod mini / 2G iPod shuffle / 16GB iPhone 3G
Apple TV 2
iLife's a Bitch!

I somewhat agree, g5g5, but I wasn't thinking of a potential replacement for the mini being a low cost upgradeable tower. I was thinking they might make something more capable than the current mini, possibly a bit more expandable, and slightly larger. Something more like a Cube with iMac specs that sells for a few hundred less than an iMac. In other words, something that would cost more than an iMac to give it an equivalent keyboard, mouse and monitor._________________Mini 1 (2012): 2.3 ghz Core i7; 10 gb RAM, Corsair 240gb SSD, 500 gb Seagate XT
Mini 2 (2009): 2.26 ghz Core 2 duo, 8 gb RAM, 500 gb Seagate used as HTPC
Also a 13" MacBook Air, 21.5" i5 iMac & 11.6" Acer 1810TZ running Ubuntu, openSUSE & Crunchbang

For my case specifically, I don't agree. I would want a tower simply so I can put hard drives in the thing. Possibly a future Blu-Ray burner.

I usually upgrade my machines ever 2 years. By then things have changed so much that if find it's time to replace the entire unit, rather than upgrade individual components. Usually by then the machine is dated and not worth putting money into.

This pattern comes from my Windows days. Usually I would upgrade the entire unit when a new OS was released. I'm still looking at doing the same thing when Leopard is released. This time I may overlook the mini simply because of the limited internal storage space. Even though I keep my system and cabling tidy, I'm sick of having so many individual components and power supplies. Everytime I think of adding something I have to consider, how it will look. If I've got the ports etc. Right now I'm running 2 individual UPS's just to keep everything powered and properly protected.

Even though I keep my system and cabling tidy, I'm sick of having so many individual components and power supplies. Everytime I think of adding something I have to consider, how it will look. If I've got the ports etc. Right now I'm running 2 individual UPS's just to keep everything powered and properly protected.

I agree, my next upgrade will be an all-in-one whether the Mini is still around or not._________________20" iMac 1.8/160/1G
15" Powerbook 1.5/80/1.25G
320gb LaCie Brick